


The Note Giver

by hisboywriter



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-04
Updated: 2013-02-04
Packaged: 2017-11-28 04:22:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/670211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hisboywriter/pseuds/hisboywriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy receives a little help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Note Giver

**-X-**

The first time Teddy got a note was on a Saturday morning.

 

In the haze of lethargy, he had mistaken it as fallen piece of paper from his small desk. By the time he had washed off the sleepy residue, the paper stood out sorely against the dark floor, patient as it waited to be picked up. It was crisp, folded in half, and arrived unannounced inches from the crack under the closed door.

When he opened it, there was a short note with no addressee or addresser:

**Billy’s sick. He’ll lie if you ask**

**He wants to see that new movie today but he was coughing and sneezing a lot in the middle of the night**

Teddy’s heart plummeted. He read the note again, face drooping with each word before he replayed last night in his head, hunting for clues that would disprove the note; they had been out in the rain, late, thanks to one stubborn villain who did his job regardless of the weather forecast. How long had that trouble carried on for? A good two hours?

Coughing and sneezing seemed less far-fetched the longer he chewed over those details.

Silently, Teddy glanced over at the lump beneath the blanket that was Tommy sleeping. Somehow, he figured the note had been intended for him and not the speedster, but why or from whom, he would have to mull over.

He tucked the paper into a drawer in his desk for the time being and left the room without disturbing his roommate. As he expected, the halls were bare, the only sound coming from his footsteps and the occasional wail of a siren or purr of thunder. It had been a long-lasting habit—him waking up the earliest, sometimes greeted by Mr. Kaplan, born from his days living with his mother when he cooked their morning weekend meals.

From the lack of brewing coffee and warming odors, Teddy knew he was the only one up, so he crept with extra caution toward Billy’s room. He passed the younger Kaplan brothers’ room and just about reached his boyfriend’s when a ragged cough broke the morning silence.

That was all the evidence Teddy needed; he went pass the door, down the stairs, and marched into the kitchen with the purpose of preparing a light breakfast that would combat illness, replenish lost fluids, and, if luck favored him, ease Billy’s impending tantrum.

During his preparations, his mind wandered back to the note, his lips juggling between a smile and a frown. While he figured he would have noticed the symptoms of a cold making its home in Billy’s chest and sinuses, he doubted he would have thought it as serious as he did now. After all, an entire night of coughing and sneezing was something he hadn’t been aware of. Maybe wouldn’t have at all—or at least, not until it was too late—given Billy’s stubborn personality.

The squeak of staircases alerted him to someone’s descent. By the poor attempt to stop a sniffle, Teddy didn’t have to guess who it was.

“Billy, get your sick rear end back in bed. I swear if I see you come down here, I’m telling Tommy where you hide your sealed comics,” he said, mimicking the tone his mother had employed to get him to do (and confess) anything. It didn’t hurt that his rich voice gave it a layer of no-nonsense.

The squeaking ceased. Teddy imagined the hosts of emotions crisscrossing over Billy’s face, in which grumpy reluctance would ultimately prevail. He nodded when he heard a sound that might have been a huff, then a few more squeaks before Billy’s shuffling signaled his defeat.

As much as Teddy cringed at using Billy’s prized possessions as ammo, sometimes it was the most effective.

Still, it was no surprise when he came upstairs with a tray that Billy had a brave front put up. Its execution was shabby; the redness in his eyes and nose were big giveaways and his chest heaved because breathing was a chore. Not to mention when someone as adorable as Billy tried to imitate the picture of a healthy, annoyed person shrouded in blankets, he instead gave the impression of a needy larva.

“I’m not sick,” he said, eyeing the food choices that said otherwise.

“Don’t even try to heal yourself with magic. That ended badly last time,” Teddy warned, and rolled his eyes at Billy’s stifled cough. “Here. Scoot back.”

With a defiant grumble, Billy did and remained in his cocoon as the tray stretched over the bumps his legs made under the blanket. “I feel fine. Just allergies.”

“Yes, of course. Just allergies,” Teddy said, giving the tea another swirl with a spoon. “Have some tea first. See if that helps your throat.”

“My throat is fine.” Billy cleared it as if proving his point and not because another cough tried to worm its way out.

Teddy stood up and picked the laptop amidst the mess of a desk. “Sounds fine to me,” he replied. He took it and its charger to another outlet close to the bed to plug in. It wasn’t an enormous screen rimmed by curtains by a long shot. It would do fine for a couple curled up in bed though.

“You don’t believe me.” Billy almost pouted that time.

“Not for one second,” Teddy said, shooting him a smile. “Sorry, Billy. We’re not going out with you like that. The rain hasn’t let up. No, don’t give me that face. I promise we’ll see it soon as you’re better.”

Billy focused his glare on the tea. “Not the same.”

“You would have risked getting sicker to see a movie? You’re not a kid, Billy. You know better.”

“But Teddy, it’s—“

Teddy’s raised hand quieted the protest. “Listen to your boyfriend,” he instructed, softening his smile before leaning over and planting a lingering kiss to the frown. A twinkle in Billy’s eyes told him he’d be met with little resistance now. After all, it was one of the few treats Billy received upon getting sick: Teddy’s extra affection in all forms of cuddling, pecks, and scalp massages. Having a boyfriend far more impervious to illness than humans had its perks.

With less of a fuss, Billy began picking at his breakfast.

Satisfied, Teddy pulled away. “Alright, I’ll be right back. Gonna make something for me to eat and I’ll let your parents know you’re sick when they come down. Be back in a Tommy-flash.”

While it took a little longer than a Tommy-flash, Billy didn’t complain upon his return. Shacking up in bed with tissues, soups, crackers, DVDs, and a very warm Teddy easily made up for it all.

**-x-**

The second time Teddy received a note, on the following Wednesday, he was certain the middle Kaplan son was the author.

It waited in a similar spot on the ground as the first, but this time Teddy discovered it after coming through the door, just having arrived from a study session. Dumping his backpack to the side, he lifted the paper and wondered what its contents held today.

**Billy got picked on today**

The handwriting was the same, letters crooked and could be labeled as sloppy by some discerning eyes. The scribbles of a young boy, yet neater than the huge scrawling that was the youngest Kaplan’s handwriting.

“Teddy? Is that you?” It was Billy, his voice stiffer than usual.

Teddy folded the paper and tucked it with the other one in his drawer. “Yeah, be right there,” he called over his shoulder, placing middle-son-Jacob on the backburner for now.

Noise exuded from the kitchen, Teddy’s destination. On his way back downstairs, he peered at the opened door to the little Kaplan brothers room, a bit disappointed neither were in (and wouldn’t be in until later that night with Mr. and Mrs. Kaplan).

He spotted Billy staring into a cabinet, his eyebrows a little knitted, his body tense from the jaw down. They were signs Teddy had seen enough times to know his boyfriend was tightening his physical features to balance out the emotional upheaval fermenting inside of him.

“Hey,” he said. A small smile crept into Teddy’s face when some of the mage’s tension eased at the mere sound of his voice.

Billy then glanced at him, offering a smile that was half-genuine. “Thought I heard you come in. You said mac and cheese tonight right?” he asked and turned away, fishing out ingredients and supplies from their homes. His movements weren’t fluid, sometimes jittery, other times aggressive.

“Why don’t you let me make it?” He stepped into the kitchen and placed a hand over Billy’s as it reached for the stove. The tautness victimized even the tips of the mage’s digits. Teddy smoothed his thumb over it, doing his best to pacify the worst of it.

Billy stared at their joined hands as if analyzing the implications. “No. I said I was making us dinner tonight. I’m going to do that.” He gently swatted Teddy’s hand aside and turned up the heat. “Did you get a lot done at the study session?”

Teddy sighed, but allowed Billy to shuffle about in the kitchen. If the note had been true, Billy needed to keep busy, to seize control of a situation, even if it weren’t one with a bully and, instead, about dinner.

“Yeah, we did,” he said, making sense of every hard blink, every gesture. “Sorry we couldn’t walk home together.”

His stomach turned upside down at the way Billy ducked his head for an instant. It was all Teddy needed to confirm what he wished wasn’t true.

 “It’s fine,” Billy said, “I just came straight home anyway. I knew your session would run late…”

He trailed off, doing a feeble attempt to wave it off by shrugging. There was no mistaking the quiver underlining his voice or the heavy exhale that escaped without Billy’s consent.

“Billy,” Teddy started.

 His boyfriend contested that by turning the sink on full blast to fill the pot.

Normally, Teddy was left to dance around Billy’s behavior when he fell into a mood, tripping and stumbling along the way until he exhumed enough clues to pick apart the mage’s defenses. He had always preferred the direct albeit gentle approach, but the mage never made it an easy feat, his resistance crumbling only with well-chosen words on Teddy’s part. It was an old habit of Billy’s that he regressed into, one that served as a token for the mage’s life before the Young Avengers, before Teddy . A life of bruises that went beyond the skin.

Teddy had ammunition this time, and he hesitated only a moment before trying it out. “Did someone hurt you, Billy?” he asked.

From his angle, he could only catch part of Billy’s face as the mage pressed his lips together and furrowed his eyebrows more. When he strode to put the pot on the stove, Teddy saw him visibly swallow something heavy.

“Someone did,” Teddy answered for him, unsure when he had gripped the counter. He felt it creak under his own reaction and he pried himself off, approaching Billy again. The hand that had nearly demolished the hard surface now cupped Billy’s shoulder, giving a squeeze. “Billy, talk to me.”

Billy shot him a look he couldn’t quite decipher, but did notice the surprise lining it. “Am I that obvious now?” the mage muttered. He dropped his face into Teddy’s chest with a thump, shields down.

A quiet chuckle vibrated from Teddy’s chest. “Somewhat,” he said, because it was mostly true. He might have been able to dissect what the body language meant, but there was someone in the family who had more experience, a keener eye that could guess the root cause of the behavior.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” Billy went on around a sigh. His arms looped around Teddy’s middle. “Just some guy saying stuff from my P.E. class.”

A coward, Teddy thought. Someone who took a stab at Billy when the mage was isolated from the class herds, out of Teddy’s line of sight.

“I’m sorry. Insecure jerk, huh?” He rubbed Billy’s lower back, peeling layers of tension and the emotions attached to them.

Billy nestled closer and his sigh came less strained this time. “I told him off,” he added, tilting his head back to show off a proud smile, “but still…”

“I know. It still can hurt. It’s okay to acknowledge the pain.” Teddy dipped his head a little lower, not enough to close the distance. “Depends how we deal with it, right?”

“Right,” Billy said, a soft and entirely genuine curl to his lips now. He shared it by tilting forward for a peck. “I guess I should have told you.”

“That’s what boyfriends are for,” Teddy said, leaning back once Billy had his full of the embrace. “How about this. You make the dinner and I’ll work on the dessert. Microwave smores sound good?”

Billy nodded, beaming so much that Teddy decided right then and there to approach Jacob when the opportunity presented itself. Until then, he accepted the middle Kaplan brother’s gratitude and devoted the remainder of the day and night proving that bullies were one of the easiest nuisances to forget about.

**-x-**

When the third note arrived almost a week later (on Tuesday), Teddy seized the chance and answered it with one of his own.

Jacob’s note had read:

**Billy won’t stop talking about Vietnamese food**

In return, Teddy scribbled a note on the back of it, quick to slip it under the young Kaplans’ room before anyone spotted him.

**Going for some Viet food. What would you like?**

He hadn’t been sure whether or not he’d receive a response as he lingered outside the door. As far as his analysis went, it could swing either way. So he bore a wide smile when the note slid with a low hiss back out.

On the same page as the original note, Teddy read:

**Beef noodle soup**

A few spaces below that, as though Jacob had debated whether to write it or not:

**Thanks**

Teddy suspected that one word extended beyond the food. Pleased, he tucked the note into his pocket after a few folds, and headed out by himself. Upon his return, the silence informed him that Billy had yet to return and Jacob had, once again, proven to be a responsible enough kid to stay home alone and not burn the place down.

It was as good an opportunity as any.

“Jacob,” he called, placing the bags on the dining room table, “I’m back.”

If it were Isaac upstairs, he would have responded in a delighted voice, bounded down the steps, and catapulted into the bags. That was rarely the case with Jacob. Teddy couldn’t help smile at the silence that answered him, amused at how dissimilar the two younger brothers were.

Jacob’s steps came with a quiet bounce and his face had its usual placid look—where as Isaac’s would be split into a grin. Maybe it was the pre-teen phase that kept Jacob from bursting into child-like mannerisms and, instead, seeking more alone time as he defined his independence. Whatever the reason, he greeted Teddy with a mild look of curiosity and half-smiled his thanks at the meal.

“Did anyone call while I was out?”

“My dad said they would take a little longer. The store they first went to didn’t have the right shoe size for Isaac so they’re trying the one at the mall,” Jacob said, his voice in the shallows of puberty. He took his paper plate and glanced toward the television.

Teddy chuckled. “Yeah, you can sit there. I know you won’t make a mess. Just don’t tell Isaac. You know how he gets.”

“I won’t,” Jacob promised, settling himself cross-legged on the couch.

Teddy got his own plate, deciding he would eat now with the middle Kaplan’s company. As he sat on one end of the couch, he watched Jacob flip the channels, lingering on the Discovery network a moment before concluding the topic wasn’t to his interest. He settled for the movie Megamind.

No one in the Kaplan home had to ponder much over how smart Jacob was. Kids were typically smart in their own ways; nothing escaped them whether or not they processed it themselves. Teddy knew that much and now recognized just how sharp the boy truly was. Not only had he picked up on his older brother’s quirks and deciphered their origins, he had done something similar with Teddy.

Despite Teddy not having lived with the Kaplans that long, Jacob already had filed enough of the blonde’s habits to deliver his notes—Teddy’s early morning rituals, his school schedule, and the like. That aside, there was something to be said about his all of his efforts. If Teddy had to guess, he would gamble to submit that Jacob could one day match Tommy’s swift scrutiny.

He wanted to bring it up, to pry a little into the motives and pick at Jacob’s brain. It seemed rude though, his uncertainty warranted by the impressionability common in kids of Jacob’s age. Last thing he wanted was to offend the gestures, give Jacob an excuse to take a vow of silence, or worse.

“Did they annoy you?” Jacob asked suddenly.

Taken aback, Teddy realized he had been ogling the boy, the warm plate on his lap neglected. Jacob had his entire body dedicated to the television, his voice having been the only affirmation that he paid Teddy any attention.

“Ah, sorry, what?”  Teddy tilted his head, leaning forward to prevent misinterpreting any further words.

“The notes. I wasn’t sure if they would bug you.”

“Oh.” Teddy blinked rapidly, remembered he wasn’t incapable of other words. “No, not at all,” he insisted.

Jacob swallowed a mouthful, paused, and then said, “Okay.”

“Why would you think they bothered me?” Teddy ventured to ask. He dug into his own food, hoping it kept the atmosphere casual and not at all like an interrogation.

“I don’t know. You’re nice. I figured you wouldn’t let me know if it really bugged you but I wasn’t sure,” Jacob answered, sneaking a glance at him.

Shaking his head, Teddy replied, “No, if anything, I’m grateful. You’re really good at reading your brother.”

There was a pregnant pause and, for a moment, Teddy questioned if Jacob would delve into the topic any deeper. His patience was rewarded when, after a few slurps, Jacob spoke again as if it were any laid-back chat—though his fidgeting foot contradicted his tone.

“You are too,” Jacob said, watching the television. “It’s just that I’ve known him longer.”

Teddy speculated it went beyond that. He saved that tidbit of knowledge for himself. “Still, I was— _am_ —pretty impressed. Creative too, the way you decided to tell me. Can I ask why you didn’t tell me in person instead? I don’t mind, really, but I’m curious.”

“I thought it was the easiest. We’re always busy around here, especially you three and your…superhero stuff. I didn’t want Billy to know I was telling you that stuff.”

“How come?”

Jacob lifted both shoulders in a shrug. “Just ‘cause.”

It wasn’t the most elaborate justification, but it suited Teddy well all the same. “Well, I won’t tell him then if you prefer I don’t. The notes can be a little secret between the two of us.”

Jacob didn’t supply a response to that other than taking a hearty mouthful of his dinner. “I wasn’t sure if you’d do the food one, but he wouldn’t stop talking about it,” he admitted after wolfing two more spoonfuls down.

Teddy laughed, envisioning Jacob’s manifested frustration when Billy wouldn’t stop blabbering on about food of all things. “He does get cravings. Can’t say I’m any different. I bet he’ll be really happy when he gets home though, so thanks for that.”

“He wasn’t happy a long time, you know,” Jacob said, eyes lifting from the movie to burrow into Teddy’s. Kids always did have the most honest, unforgiving stares. “He wasn’t exactly sad, but he wasn’t happy either, you know? He came home a lot with bruises or like, cut lips, and sometimes he didn’t know I saw. I didn’t always tell my mom or dad.” He blinked and resumed eating. “Anyway, it’s not like that now. He’s the real Billy again. Magic powers don’t change that, but he still tries to hide when he’s kind of down and stuff. It’s annoying.”

Teddy’s lip twitched. Too bad he couldn’t shape-shift into a measly fly, hanging around Jacob’s room as the boy mapped his course of action when it came to his big brother. It must have been a touching sight, not that Jacob would admit to it.

“Is that why you sent me those notes?” he asked, suspecting as much.

“You’re his boyfriend. You can take care of him in ways that’s harder for the rest of us, right? He deserves to be happy and stay happy. That’s why I did it,” Jacob said and shrugged as though his exploits had been the most obvious course of action.  

Translating the boy’s astuteness into words didn’t seem likely, even for someone as articulate as Teddy. He could only chuckle through his nose at his swelling admiration for Jacob. If only everyone had the brilliance of a kid’s mind.

At an attempt to impart some of his gratitude, Teddy said, “Billy’s really lucky to have a brother like you.”

Jacob wrinkled his nose. “He annoys me sometimes, but I guess he wouldn’t be my brother if he didn’t. I don’t mind if he gets annoyed by me. I just don’t want him like how he was before.” His head tilted, attention dipping back into memories Teddy couldn’t see. “I wished I was the big brother when I was smaller. I knew he was being bullied and I wanted to do more but,” he paused, shook his head, and seemed to remember Teddy sitting beside him.

He went at his meal again, swallowing the next lump quickly so he could go on. “Like I said, he has you now. At first I liked that you were big and could shape-shift, good for scaring bullies and keeping him safe on your missions, you know? But I like you for all the other stuff more now. You’re a good guy. A real hero, I guess you could say.”

“Jacob,” Teddy breathed, his heart cramping at the confession. Words really couldn’t do much justice though they were certainly doing Jacob plenty of favors. All Teddy could manage fast enough was a gracious smile as he said, “Thanks. I’m really happy you like having me around. But you know, Billy has another hero around, not just me.”

Jacob peered at him, one eyed narrowed as though contemplating who Teddy could be referring to.

Teddy grinned and pointed at him with his fork. “You, of course.”

It didn’t look like much, the slight coloring in Jacob’s face, but it spoke volumes to Teddy. He laughed and sagged more comfortably into his spot. “You know,” he said when Jacob collected himself, “if there’s every anything you want to talk about, besides Billy, you can come to me. I’ll do my best. Just a thought. No pressure.”

 Jacob did meet his gaze once more. The hints of a smile touched his lips, reaching up into his eyes.

Their faces fell when the door rattled, signaling Billy’s return. “Ugh, Tommy ditched me for some girl,” Billy moaned, dragging himself in with a sneer. “So much for—“ He trailed off, face going slack as the aroma wafted his way.

He groaned in delight. “Is that smell what I think it is?”

“Why don’t you check,” Teddy said, feigning innocence. He dipped into his food and speared a piece. The way he held it up, he might as well have been wielding a trident with a glorious kill impaled on it.

With a grin, Billy stepped over and munched on the offering. A moan left him and he rolled his eyes into the back of his head. “You,” he said, squeezing his arms around Teddy’s shoulders, “are utterly amazing. I was just craving for some of this.” He punctuated the last word with a tightening of his arms before he was rushing to get his respective piece of edible Heaven.

Teddy shared a look with Jacob, wishing he could tell Billy all the credit couldn’t belong to him alone. The other Kaplan boy seemed satisfied if his blooming smile said anything about it.

Later, before he trailed after Billy to their room, he pulled out the note in his pocket. With a green pen borrowed from the pen/pencil holder, he added a few new lines. Then, on his way out, he smiled at Jacob and passed the re-folded paper into the smaller hand.

**Thanks for all the help and advice again. Remember to feel free to share whatever. To be fair I’ll share something and if you don’t want to reply that’s okay too**

**I almost broke a plastic cup today. Did you know before I understood how to control my strength we went through at least three sets of dishes at my old house??**

**-x-**

Wednesday afternoon:

I **found the belt you saw at the store. Got the last one so thanks for the heads up. Good thing for school holidays or else I might have missed it.  
Need any help with the school project?**

Thursday morning:

**Glad you got it. Billy will like it for his birthday. I’m okay with the project  
I got partnered with the person I wanted for it**

Thursday evening:

**That Sonya girl? Good to hear. Billy and I are going to the Body Exhibit on Saturday. Maybe you could ask her to go with you and tag along?**

**Just a suggestion**

Thursday late night:

**Might ask her**

**Don’t know if she likes me enough to go**

Friday morning:

**Pretty sure she does. Try asking her in a note and pass it to her in class at a time you WON’T get in trouble. Be honest, be yourself**

**Seriously does wonders**

Friday night:

**I heard Billy say he is craving waffles for tomorrow’s breakfast**

**She said yes**

 

**Thanks**

**-X-**


End file.
